Food & Drink

Waffled Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 8

Leftover mac and cheese is not exactly one of life’s biggest problems, but if it happens to you, here’s what to do.

INGREDIENTS

Prepared Macaroni and Cheese (recipe follows if you don’t have leftovers to use)
2 large eggs
Pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the macaroni and cheese into slices about ½ inch thick.
Preheat the waffle iron on medium. Preheat the oven on its lowest setting.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Set out 3 shallow bowls. Measure the flour into the first. In the second bowl, place the beaten eggs. Mix the bread crumbs with the cheese in the third.
Take a slice of the macaroni and cheese, and, handling it gently, coat both sides in the flour. Then dunk both sides in the egg. Finally, coat both sides with the bread crumbs, pressing the mixture so it sticks. Set aside the slice and repeat with the remaining slices.
Coat both sides of the waffle iron grid with nonstick spray. Place the macaroni and cheese slices in the waffle iron, close the lid, and cook until heated through and golden brown, 3 minutes.
The extraction process can be tricky. With a silicone spatula, loosen the edges of the macaroni and cheese. Use the spatula to gently pry the macaroni and cheese from the waffle iron and then support the bottom with the spatula while you lift it out with tongs.
Repeat Steps 5 through 7 until all of the macaroni and cheese has been waffled. Keep the finished macaroni and cheese warm in the oven.

TIPS

Serve with a green salad or Crispy Sesame Waffled Kale.

Use a Belgian or standard waffle iron.

This recipe takes 4½ hours with fresh macaroni and cheese (includes preparation of macaroni and cheese, plus 3 hours of refrigeration time).

Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
Salt
1 pound elbow or shell pasta
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups milk
½ teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook the pasta until it is slightly underdone, checking a few minutes before the cooking time on the package directions. (If you bite into a piece, you should be able to see a very thin core of uncooked pasta.) Drain the pasta and set aside.
Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour to the melted butter, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk for 2 minutes. Add the milk, ½ cup at a time, waiting until the mixture is thoroughly combined before adding more. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the mustard, 1¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper, and stir. Add the shredded Cheddar cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly until the cheese melts. Add the pasta to the cheese mixture, stir to coat thoroughly, and then pour the cheese-covered pasta into the prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top and bake until the top is brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool for an hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the macaroni is well chilled and the cheese has solidified (at least 2 hours, or overnight).

Will It Waffle?
by Daniel Shumski

How many great ideas begin with a nagging thought in the middle of the night that should disappear by morning, but doesn’t? For Daniel Shumski, it was: Will it waffle? Hundreds of hours, countless messes, and 53 perfected recipes later, that answer is a resounding: Yes, it will! Steak? Yes! Pizza? Yes! Apple pie? Emphatically yes.

And that’s the beauty of being a waffle iron chef—waffling food other than waffles is not just a novelty but an innovation that leads to a great end product, all while giving the cook the bonus pleasure of doing something cool, fun, and vaguely nerdy (or giving a reluctant eater—your child, say—a great reason to dig in).